This specialist postgraduate course helps you build on your career by developing the skills and knowledge to understand why domestic abuse occurs and how to work effectively with offenders to support positive behaviour change and reduce harm.
for all who are accepted onto the the January 2027 intake.
Overview
Build the confidence and skills to work safely and effectively with individuals responsible for domestic abuse through a mix of online and in-person teaching. You’ll have the chance to learn from our experts in scheduled teaching sessions and expand on this through your own independent research and online learning activities that can fit around work and personal commitments.
Explore the key ideas and approaches which have influenced current intervention programmes and apply critical thinking to evaluate how effective they are, so you can make informed decisions and improve practice in your own role.
You’ll have the unique opportunity to hear from people who have committed domestic abuse, giving you a deeper understanding of their mindset so you can respond more effectively and encourage safer, more positive behaviour.
Throughout the course, you’ll develop your own effective intervention techniques, helping you work more confidently in high-risk situations and meet the expectations of roles across the criminal justice and support sectors. Gain confidence in effectively engaging with those responsible for domestic abuse, reduce risk and support lasting behaviour change.
With the support of your lecturer and Personal Academic Tutor, you’ll also gain the academic skills needed to challenge current practice and have your say in how domestic abuse interventions are further developed.
Blended learning
This course has been designed with busy, working professionals in mind with it's mix of in-person and online teaching.
You’ll have 2 scheduled teaching sessions per semester on campus, with the rest of your learning taking place through online learning activities and independent study which you can complete at your own pace. You’ll have regular access to your lecturers and personal academic tutor, with support available both online and face to face.
Blended learning means you get the best of both worlds: the convenience of online study and the connection of in-person classes.
Course content
This course is delivered through two modules; one per semester, offering you the time to balance study with your work and personal commitments.
We regularly review our courses to reflect the latest research and developments in the subject area, as well as feedback from students, employers and the wider sector. As a result, modules may change to ensure the course remains current and relevant.
Careers
This specialist postgraduate course is designed to meet growing demand for professionals skilled in working with domestic abuse offenders, in response to a wider focus on improving support and intervention.
Completing this course can boost your chances of securing roles in:
- Commissioning and Prevention
- Social work
- Criminal justice with a domestic/sexual abuse focus
- Specialist behaviour change programmes
- Domestic abuse sector
This course has connections with employers across policing, probation, safeguarding and domestic abuse charities who have helped shape the content of the course and are in strong support of the qualification.
Further study
You could turn your PGCert into a full Masters qualification with our Understanding Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence MA.
Course highlights
Teaching and assessment
Teaching will be delivered in-person, with online learning activities scheduled to enhance your learning at your own pace in-between teaching blocks.
You’ll have formative assessments across the course to provide you with feedback on your progress and to help you prepare for the graded presentation and two written assessments.
Teaching and assessment contents
At postgraduate level study, the student is expected to operate at the high standards to meet the demands of critical thinking, debate and writing through the assessment process of level 7 modules. Each student will be required to contribute to their individual learning and the collective learning of their peer group as required by tutorials, seminars and presentations. The student will be expected to research actively and independently, developing and adapting a critical reading and academic writing strategy, reflecting on the range of literature and research within the field of study of DSV.
Each module of the PG Cert programme and CPD module will include elements of written assessment, and forms of individual and collective presentation to enhance creative approaches to showcase the student’s transferable knowledge and skills. Each item of assessed work will provide the opportunity to demonstrate the sophisticated and critical understanding and knowledge at this advanced level of study as required by the QAA descriptors for Masters engagement of study.
In addition, postgraduate students will have a minimum of two meetings with their Personal Academic Tutors, timed to coincide with key points such as induction or assessment.
Meet our experts
Dr Claire McLoone-Richards
Claire has a lively interest in human rights issues, particularly regarding the rights of children. Claire attended the 60th Session on the Commission of Human Rights at the United Nations in Geneva when she campaigned for a world moratorium on the death penalty, which also affects children in other countries who could be executed for crimes through an adult court system.
Prior to working in academia, she developed and implemented a multi-agency strategy for dealing with domestic abuse concerns in Worcestershire; this enabled the development of a co-ordinated agency response to addressing domestic abuse. Claire was a key representative for the Worcestershire Forum in public awareness campaigns and she has had considerable positive contact with local media as part of campaign and public awareness-raising.
Her previous experience of partnership working evolved a legacy of useful connecting links with the West Mercia Criminal Justice Board; Worcestershire Crime and Disorder Partnership and particularly as a contributor to the Multi-Agency Public Protection Panel, offering expert opinion in the context of risk assessment of vulnerable children and adults living with domestic abuse, substance misuse and other issues which can impact on parenting and caring for children. Claire was Chair of the Association for England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales for the Study and Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (BASPCAN), now known as the AoCPP.
Dr Beverley Gilbert
Beverley has over 30 years of experience working within the criminal justice system. She was a Police Officer in Birmingham deployed in various uniform and plain clothes roles, including in plain clothes surveillance roles and as a Detective Family Protection Officer. As a Probation Officer, Beverley worked with individuals who posed a high risk of causing harm, including perpetrators of domestic and sexual violence. She was a semi specialist officer working with custodial cases, including those serving Life and Indeterminate Sentence prisoners. Beverley has been a sessional Expert Domestic Violence Risk Assessor for London based DViP and the Family Courts in the London and Greater London areas.
Dr Claire McLoone-Richards
Claire has a lively interest in human rights issues, particularly regarding the rights of children. Claire attended the 60th Session on the Commission of Human Rights at the United Nations in Geneva when she campaigned for a world moratorium on the death penalty, which also affects children in other countries who could be executed for crimes through an adult court system.
Prior to working in academia, she developed and implemented a multi-agency strategy for dealing with domestic abuse concerns in Worcestershire; this enabled the development of a co-ordinated agency response to addressing domestic abuse. Claire was a key representative for the Worcestershire Forum in public awareness campaigns and she has had considerable positive contact with local media as part of campaign and public awareness-raising.
Her previous experience of partnership working evolved a legacy of useful connecting links with the West Mercia Criminal Justice Board; Worcestershire Crime and Disorder Partnership and particularly as a contributor to the Multi-Agency Public Protection Panel, offering expert opinion in the context of risk assessment of vulnerable children and adults living with domestic abuse, substance misuse and other issues which can impact on parenting and caring for children. Claire was Chair of the Association for England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales for the Study and Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (BASPCAN), now known as the AoCPP.
Dr Beverley Gilbert
Beverley has over 30 years of experience working within the criminal justice system. She was a Police Officer in Birmingham deployed in various uniform and plain clothes roles, including in plain clothes surveillance roles and as a Detective Family Protection Officer. As a Probation Officer, Beverley worked with individuals who posed a high risk of causing harm, including perpetrators of domestic and sexual violence. She was a semi specialist officer working with custodial cases, including those serving Life and Indeterminate Sentence prisoners. Beverley has been a sessional Expert Domestic Violence Risk Assessor for London based DViP and the Family Courts in the London and Greater London areas.
Entry requirements
- A first degree at 2:1 or above
or
- demonstration of prior experiential learning via professional experience.
If you're an experienced practitioner and can demonstrate your capacity to study at postgraduate level via an additional document, we can consider applications without a first degree at 2:1 level or above.
Any questions?
If you have any questions about entry requirements, please call our Admissions Office on 01905 855111 or email admissions@worc.ac.uk.
Fees
Fees contents
UK and EU students
The standard tuition fees for part-time UK and EU students enrolling on MA/MSc/MBA/MRes/PG Cert/PG Dip degrees in the academic year 2027/28 are £833 per 15-credit module, £1,110 per 20-credit module, £1,665 per 30-credit module, £2,220 per 40-credit module, £3,330 per 60-credit module.
Tuition fees are reviewed annually and may increase each year for both new and continuing students.
For more details on course fees, please visit our course fees page.
International students
The standard tuition fees for part-time international students enrolling on MA/MSc/MBA/MRes/PG Cert/PG Dip degrees in the academic year 2027/28 are £1,575 per 15-credit module, £3,150 per 30-credit module, £4,725 per 45-credit module and £6,300 per 60-credit module.
Tuition fees are reviewed annually and may increase each year for both new and continuing students.
For more details on course fees, please visit our course fees page.
How to apply
How to apply contents
Please make your application via our online application form which will be available shortly.
If you have any questions, please contact the Admissions office on 01905 855111 or admissions@worc.ac.uk
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